I Used a Wine Rack for Purse Storage, and It Was So Cute 

Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with crocheting and have created a collection of chunky handbags made of recycled T-shirts. As the collection continues to grow, finding them a proper home in my small-space apartment has been a challenge. Space is tight and storage is practically little to none. So when I came across an Apartment Therapy article featuring the genius idea of using a vertical wine rack to store bags, I immediately had to give it a go. 

Sure, wine racks are traditionally destined for kitchens, dining rooms, or cellars — but there’s no rule that says they have to stay there. In fact, their structure makes them surprisingly perfect for storing accessories like handbags.

Because wine racks are designed to hold bottles horizontally, they naturally create individual slots that keep items separated and supported. That same design works beautifully for bags: Each one gets its own space instead of collapsing into a pile on a shelf or in a closet. For small homes, wine racks also have another major advantage of maximizing vertical wall space. Rather than taking up valuable closet space or dresser room, they turn an empty wall into functional storage.

To test the idea, I chose this particular wine rack because it was affordable, durable (thanks to its sturdy metal construction), and minimal enough that it wouldn’t distract from the bags themselves. Another big plus: It didn’t require drilling. Using heavy-duty adhesive hooks, I was able to mount the racks securely. The predrilled screw holes in the metal are fairly large, which made it easy for the hooks to slide in and hold the rack firmly in place — a huge win for renters.

The set I bought came with four separate racks, each designed to hold three bottles. That meant I could arrange them however I wanted: one long column of 12 slots or smaller groupings of six or three. Since my wall space is limited, I opted to split them into smaller sections.

Because my crocheted bags have structured handles that don’t fold down easily, I was actually able to fit two bags in each rack. If you’re storing smaller handbags or clutches, you could easily use each individual slot for one bag. There’s really no right or wrong way to arrange them.

In my case, I also leaned into the display aspect. I had a few framed prints hanging above my couch that were nice enough, but swapping them out for my colorful handmade bags instantly made the space feel more personal and dynamic. The bags now double as both storage and wall art.